Wednesday, September 12, 2012

NFL grants $100,000 to study PRP and Stem Cells for Tendon Disorders

The National Football League recently granted $100,000 to the Hospital for Special Surgery to study the effects of platelet rich plasma and stem cells on tendons. The research will be conducted by Dr. Scott Rodeo, associate team physician for the New York Giants. The focus will be to better understand the effects of different formulations of PRP in a preclinical model. Specific evaluations of how PRP influences the tendon structure will be done.

This is important research that should help answer multiple questions. Clinical studies to date have been variable in their outcomes. The best available data today supports the use of PRP with white blood cells injected in an unactivated form for chronic tennis elbow. We need to better understand the mechanisms underlying various forms of PRP in order to best apply it clinically.

We will all be most interested in following the results of their investigations.